RAILWAY & CANAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2019 AGM WEEKEND Abbey House Hotel & Gardens, Abbey Road, Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0PA Programme & Tour Notes Page List of Members & Guests Attending 2 Programme for the Weekend 3 The pre-Railway Communications Challenge 4 The Barrow Story – A Brief History 5 th Friday 26 April – Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Millom & Askam 8 th Saturday 27 April – Ulverston, Ulverston Canal, Roa Island 22 th Sunday 28 April – Haverthwaite, Lakeside, Bowness, Backbarrow, Grange & Kents Bank 38 th Monday 29 April – Arnside, Kent Viaduct, Kendal Branch, Tewitfield, Carnforth 52 Welcome to the 2019 RCHS AGM Weekend organized by the NW Group Committee. These pages of notes are intended to add to your knowledge and/or remind you of the areas we shall be visiting during the four coach tours. Where maps have been included, these are not intended to be replacements for the source maps, but to aid location of sites on shown on OS, Alan Godfrey, and other maps. In producing the notes, a number of publications have proven to be useful - Those we have relied on most are: A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain vol 14, David Joy (David & Charles, 1993) An Introduction to Cumbrian Railways, David Joy (Cumbrian Railways Assoc., 2017) Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain: A Chronology, Michael Quick (Railway & Canal Historical Society, 2009) The Furness Railway, K J Norman (Silver Link, 1994) The Furness Railway: a history, Michael Andrews (Barrai Books, 2012) The Furness Railway in and around Barrow, Michael Andrews (Cumbrian Railways Assoc., 2003) The Railways of Carnforth, Philip Grosse (Barrai Books, 2014) The Railways of Great Britain: A Historical Atlas, Col M H Cobb (Ian Allan, 2005) The Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway, Leslie R Gilpin (Cumbrian Railways Assoc., 2008) Maps of the area, both current and historical, include: O.S. Maps: Explorer Series, Sheets OL6 & OL7 Alan Godfrey Maps (Barrow): 21:07, 21:08, 21:11, 21:12, 21:15 Alan Godfrey Maps: 21:04 (Furness Abbey, 17:04 (Grange), 16:03 (Ulverston) Memory Map, European Edition: 1800s, 1900s & 1920s editions (useful if used with a GPS device) We would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following for their assistance with the weekend: David Nussey, Gerald Leach, Graham & Sue Lancaster, Paul Hudson, Roger Taylor & Roger Brice, and also Peter Holmes & Geoff Holme of the Cumbrian Railways Association. RCHS NW Group Committee RAILWAY & CANAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2019 AGM WEEKEND Abbey House Hotel & Gardens, Abbey Road, Furness, Cumbria, LA13 0PA Members & Guests Attending John Armitage Brian Freeborn Ian Mitchell Rita Barnish Wendy Freer Ian Moss Michael Beale Nigel Freer Patrick Moss Catherine Beale Don Graham David Nussey Dennis Beer Mary Graham Richard Nussey Vicky Beer Oliver Green Bernard Parkinson Victor Behrman Rodger Green David Parry Charles Bicheno Graham Hague Elspeth Parry Christine Borthwick Judy Hague Cedric Rainer Grahame Boyes Bob Haskins Hazel Rainer Allan Brackenbury Sheila Henthorne Douglas Robinson Bob Bramson Nick Higton Stephen Rowson Sally Bramson Pauline Higton Derek Rudman Roger Brice Jill Hogwood Marion Rudman Stephen Broadhead Jeremy Hogwood Matthew Searle Phillip Brown Julia Holberry John Sharp Maria Brown Barbara Holmes Robin Shinkfield Richard Byrom John Howat Rob Shorland-Ball Peter Carleton Paul Hudson Jeff Smith Pene Carleton Andy Hutchings David Smith Ted Cheers Bill Jagger Chris Smyth Mike Constable Angela Jones Roger Taylor Graham Cooper Brian Jones Michael Thomson Richard Coulthurst David Joy Fred Thornton Anne Coulthurst John King Paul Trickett Peter Cross-Rudkin Graham Lancaster Andrew Wager Pat Dennison Richard Lasson Kath Walpole Stephen Dewhirst Gerald Leach Graham Wild Christopher Dick Julia Leach Margaret Wild Sandra Dick Peter Martin John Woodcock Jane Ellis Margaret Martin Peter Filcek Michael Messenger Notes for use solely at the RCHS AGM Weekend, Barrow, 2019. Not to be used for any other purpose, reproduced or otherwise given to any third party. 2 Thursday 25th April: Barrow Museum and Lectures A programme of visits to the Barrow Dock Museum and illustrated talks at the Forum Theatre th Friday 26 April: Coach & Rail Tour – Barrow to Ravenglass & Dalegarth, via Millom, Foxfield & Askam 08.45 Coaches leave hotel car park for Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway. Visit includes a steam-hauled RCHS Special from Ravenglass to Dalegarth (& return), the museum, signal box, engine shed & works (with guides on hand) Lunch at Dalegarth station Return coach journey to include visits to Millom, Askam station, Askam Pier (home of the Mersey Flat “Oakdale”). There will be views of Duddon viaduct, Foxfield signal box & the quarry incline at Kirkby. 19.30 Dinner (Great Hall, Abbey House Hotel) followed by presentation of Transport History Book of the Year awards. Saturday 27th April: AGM (Abbey House Hotel). Coach Tour: Ulverston, Roa Island and Barrow 09.30 Special Interest Group meetings (members should contact their SIG coordinator(s)) 11.00 AGM & Council Meeting in the Cavendish Room at Abbey House Hotel. Lunch: Buffet at Abbey House Hotel (pre-booked) 12.15 Coaches depart for Ulverston (station & canal) and Roa Island. Return via Barrow. 19.30 Dinner (Great Hall, Abbey House Hotel) Sunday 28th April: Coach, Rail & Steamer Tour: Haverthwaite, Lakeside, Bowness, Backbarrow & Lindale, Grange-over-Sands & Kents Bank Stations 09.30 Coaches depart hotel for Haverthwaite Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway to Lakeside Windermere Steamer Trip: Lakeside to Bowness Backbarrow: Former Dolly Blue Factory and Ironworks . Lunch at Crown Inn, High Newton Grange-over-Sands & Kents Bank Stations 19.30 Dinner (Great Hall, Abbey House Hotel) Monday 29th April: Coach Tour: Arnside Station, Kent Viaduct, Kendal Branch (Arnside to Hincaster), Lancaster Canal: Tewitfield Locks, Carnforth Station 09.30 Coaches depart hotel for Arnside Arnside Station and Kent Viaduct Former Kendal Branch: Arnside to Hincaster Lancaster Canal: Tewitfield Locks Lunch at Brief Encounter Refreshment Rooms, Carnforth Station & Heritage Centre 15:00 (onwards) Trains to all destinations for those not returning to Barrow 16.00 Coach returns to Barrow and Hotel. Dinner (Restaurant, Abbey House Hotel) Friday Sunday Monday Saturday Notes for use solely at the RCHS AGM Weekend, Barrow, 2019. Not to be used for any other purpose, reproduced or otherwise given to any third party. 3 THE PRE-RAILWAY COMMUNICATIONS CHALLENGE Morecambe Bay before the coming of railways showing turnpikes, canals and the roads over the sands – (from The Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway, Leslie R Gilpin (Cumbrian Railways Association, 2008) Prior to the Norman conquest the area around Morecambe Bay was largely ignored by surrounding kingdoms. However the new rulers of England gradually consolidated their hold on the area. Monastic settlements were established in the area as part of bringing Norman culture to the whole of England. The monks of Furness Abbey and the Priories of Cartmel, Conishead and Lancaster took advantage of the iron ore to be found in Furness and became powerful framers and traders. Monks became the most powerful people in the area with Furness Abbey owning extensive sheep pastures and flocks across northern England, vying with those of Fountains abbey to be the greatest abbey in the north. As well as shipping goods by sea, markets were established on the Furness peninsula, notably at Dalton with a smaller market at Ulverston. However, the peninsula remained isolated; travelling there was difficult, with the Oversands road being favoured by many. This route (from Lancaster) involved a crossing starting from Hest Bank while that from Yorkshire started near to Milnthorpe. The routes made terra ferma at Kents Bank (or Cart Lane) and Grange respectively. For travellers continuing to Furness Abbey, Dalton, Conishead Priory or Ulverston there were then routes across the Leven to a point near Canal Head and then along the edge of the sands to Conishead, Sandside or Bardsea. Overnight accommodation was available at Kents Bank and Flookburgh. After the Dissolution in the 1530s, the focus of trade moved from Dalton to Ulverston and, with the Crown taking over monastic property, the Duchy of Lancaster became responsible for the provision of guides over the Kent and Leven sands. Gradually industries grew in the form of slate quarrying, the exploitation of haematite, cotton and cork mills, and papermaking amongst others and, later, the manufacture of gunpowder. These industries were served by small ports scattered around the river estuaries. Apart from Piel, all suffered from the tides and turnpike roads were built. Canals were also built, notably the 1.4 miles long Ulverston Canal linking the port of Ulverston to the coast at Hammerside Point, opened in Dec 1796. Up to 1849, when a breakwater was built, the constantly shifting sands of Morecambe Bay impacted access to the canal. As the production of high quality iron ore in Furness grew in volume the appeal for shipping of a small hamlet called Barrow became apparent. However, as with all ports in the area, the problem of transportation between the points of production and shipment was ever apparent. The transformation of Barrow (1841 population: 841) began with the arrival of the railway, at first isolated from all other railways in England, in 1846. This section is largely based on part of Chapter 1, The Challenge of the Bay, of The Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway by Leslie R Gilpin which gives a much more detailed account with a broader perspective. Notes for use solely at the RCHS AGM Weekend, Barrow, 2019. Not to be used for any other purpose, reproduced or otherwise given to any third party. 4 THE BARROW STORY – A BRIEF HISTORY The name Barrow derives from the Norse “Barrai”, meaning either “bare island” or “island off the headland”. Barrai was listed in 1190 as one of the hamlets created by Furness Abbey and its original position was in the vicinity of what is now Schneider Square and the southern end of Dalton Road.